Sewing machine



May 27, 1941. G. sAuER SEWING MACHINE med Aug. 1, 193e 3 Sheets-Sheet lMay 27, 1941. G, sAUr-:R

` SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1, 1938 5 Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Gem/ge Sauer, BY ZZ ATTORNEYS. y

WM5/Mg@ l May 27, 1941. G. sAUER SEWING MACHINE Filed Aug. l. 1938 3Sheets-Sheet 3 BY M WMLLQQ@ INVENTOR Gerge Sauer,

TORNEYS.

Patented May 27, |941 SEWING MACHINE George Sauer, Berwyn, Ill.,assignor to Union Special Machine Com poration of Illinois pany,Chicago, Ill., a cor- Application August I1, 1938, Serial No. 222,398

1-1 Claims.

This invention relates to sewing machines, and is concerned moreparticularly with lubrication of the moving parts of such machines.

Amongst the objects of my invention are to provide for automaticdelivery of oil to the moving parts of the stitch forming, feeding anddriving mechanisms of sewing machines by controlled ow, and to providefor maintenance of the ow automatically without restricting the speedVof the sewing machines or impairing their operative eiciency.

One way in which the foregoing and other advantages may be readilyrealized in practice will be understood from the following detaileddescription of the attached drawings, wherein Fig. I is a view inlongitudinal section of a sewing machine suitably embodying myinvention.

Fig. 1I is a horizontal sectional view of the machine taken as indicatedby the arrows II-II in Fig, I.

Figs. III and IV are cross-sections taken as respectively indicated bythe arrows III-111 and IV-IV in Figs. I and II.

The sewing machine chosen for convenience of illustrating my inventionis of the flat bed type having a skeletonized open frame base I with anintegrally formed hollow standard 2 rising therefrom at one end thereofand supporting an overhanging arm 3 which terminates in a guide head 4for needle and presser bars 5 and 6. In accordance with my invention thebase is provided with top, side and end walls 1, 8, 9, I8 and II, andwith partitions I2, I3, I4 which set apart chambers I6, I1 and I 8respectively for the accommodation of complemental stitch forming andfeeding mechanisms I9 and 28, devices 2l by which the threads used inthe sewing are tensioned, and a portion of the driving mechanism 22. Asshown, the base l has an opening in its top 1 closed by a removableinset plate 23 which, in conjunction with said top, constitutes the worksupport, and at the bottom by a removable plate 24, which (Fig. I) fordrainage purposes, slopes downward from the left-hand end of the machineto an oil sump S at the rear end of said base.

The complemental stitch forming mechanism 20 of the machine includes apair of four motion loopers 25 supported in a common holder 21 which ispivoted on a stud 28 projecting laterally from a sleeve 29 fast on arock shaft 30. As shown, the opposite ends of the rock shaft arejournaled respectively in bearings 3i and 32 afforded by the left-handend wall 6 of the base and the cross partition I2. The rock shaft 36 isoscillated through the medium of a link 33 by an eccentric 35 on a shaft36 extending longitudinally through the base I. As shown, the shaft 36is journaled adjacent its front end in a bearing sleeve 31 set into theleft-hand end wall 8 of-the base I, and adjacent its rear end in abearing 38 depending from the top wall 1. At a medial point, the shaft36 is rotatively supported in a bearing 39 afforded by the partition I2.By means of an upwardly-collapsible link 40, the looper holder 21 iscoupled with an upright arm 4I on a transverse rock shaft 42 whereof theopposite ends are vjournaled in the sides of a recess 43 in thetransverse partition I2 through which recess the sewing threads passenroute from the tensioning devices 2| to the loopers 25. To the innerend of the rock shaft 42, beyond the partition I2, is affixed ahorizontal arm 45 which extends rearward beneath the bottom 46 of thecompartment I1 and which, by means of a vertical link 41, is coupledwith a crank 48 on the shaft 36 as shown in Fig. I, By the parts justdescribed, the loopers 25 are caused to cooperate with a pair of needlesof which one is shown at 49 in Fig. I carried by the needle bar 5 in awell known way to form seam stitches.

The feeding mechanism I9 of the machine comprises a four motion feed dog(not shown) which is adapted to react upwardly upon a presser foot 56 atthe lower end of the presser bar 6. A horizontal bar for supporting thefeed dog is shown at 5I. At its rear end the feed bar 5I carries a pin52 having its ends engaged in pivot bearings 53 at the top of a verticalrocker arm 55. The rocker arm 55 is in turn axed to a rock shaft 56 atthe back of the machine, said rock shaft extending parallel with theshaft 36 and being journaled in bearing bushings 51, 58 set respectivelyinto the end wall 8 of the base and into a post 59 within said base. Ahorizontal arm 60 at the outer end of the rock shaft 56 is connected bya vertical link 6I with an eccentric actuator 62 at the protruding lefthand end of the shaft 36. 'Ihe elements just described serve to imparthorizontal feed movements to the feed dog to progress the material (notshown) being sewed in the machine, crosswise of the top of the base Iwhich constitutes the work support. Another rotary actuator shown at inFig. II and suitably connected to the feed bar 5I serves to induce thenecessary lift movements in the feed dog. The illustrated feedingmechanism is generally like that featured in U. S. Patent No. 2,048,874granted to F A. Kucera on July 28, 1936, to which reference may be hadfor details if found necessary.

The needle bar 5 of the machine is operated, through suitableconnections (not illustrated), from a drive shaft 66 which extendslongitudinally through the hollow of the overhanging arm 3. As shown inFig. I, the drive shaft 66 is journaled in spaced bearings 61, 68provided by an upward continuation 69 of the left hand end wall of thestandard and by the right hand end wall of said standard, and at itsprotruding end carries a combined hand and belt wheel 18 so that themachine may be operated either manually or under power. Bymeans of atransmission gear train including spur pinions 1|, 12 and anintermediate intermeshing idler spur wheel 13, rotary motion istransmitted at like speed from the upper or drive shaft to the lowershaft 36. As shown the intermediate gear 13 is fast on a horizontalcounter shaft 14 journaled at opposite ends in another pair of bearings15, 16 respectively on the opposite walls of the standard 2.

EFor the purposes of automatic lubrication in a sewing machine such asdescribed up to this point, I have made provisions as follows: Mountedon the lower rotary shaft 36 at opposite sides of the spur pinion 12 butspaced somewhat from the latter are disks 11, 18 which dip into oilmaintained at the level L in the sump S of the base I. By the rapidrotation of these disks 11, 18, oil is thrown upwardly within the hollowof the standard 2. Due to the rapid rotation of the disks 18 the oil solifted takes the form of a heavy mist, which, through constantsystematic agitation of the air within the hollow of the standard by thefast revolving gears 1|-13 of the transmission train is dispersed in alldirections and precipitated upon the parts and surfaces within saidchamber. It is to be observed in this connection that the lower pinion12 of the gear train within the column 2 is so proportioned as shown inFig. I that it does not at any time dipinto the lubricant. In this way,churning and deterioration of the oil is eifectively precluded. Some ofthe oil dispersed as above explained finds its Way into the bearings 61,68 of the upper or drive shaft 66 through holes 61a, 68a leading downinto said bearings from the top, and some of it into the bearings 15, 16of the countershaft 14 similarly by way of holes 15a, 16a in the latterbearings, while some of it is caught in a small reservoir 19 formed inan inward prolongation of the top wall 1 of the base I within the hollowof the standard 2. Some of the oil, moreover, impinges upon the gears1I-13 to keep them well bathed. The bearing 38 for the lower shaft 36also receives its share of the oil.

Through provision of the disks 18 at opposite sides of the pinion 12 andlateral spacing of said disks from said pinion to avoid contact with theintermediate gear 13, the oilV is elevated at both sides of the geartrain for more effective distribution of the mist within the standard.Leading down at an inclination from the reservoir 18 (Fig. I) through aninwardly projecting rib 88 (Fig. III) on the rear side wall Il of thebase is a duct 8| which meets a longitudinal distributing channel 82finthe lower edge of said wall closed by the bottom plate 24. As shown inFigs. I and II, the distributing channel 82 extends from the point ofits juncture with the inclined duct 8| to the left hand end of the baseI where a transversely-extending horizontal duct 83 meets with it.Connecting into the fron-t end of the duct 83 Figs. I and II) is anupwardly reaching tube A84 which terminates abovethe link 6| associatedwith the eccentric actua-tor on the shaft 36 by which feeding movementsare imparted to the feed bar 5|. Into the end of the tube 84 is stuffeda wick 85 which wipes against the top of the link 6 I. Also leading fromthe horizontalduct 83 are branch ducts 86, 81 which extend respectivelyto the bearings 3| and 31 for the shafts 38 and 36, see Figs. I and II.Rising from the distributing channel 82 at the rear side of the machinebase I, respectively in the left hand end wall 8 and the column 53, areducts 88, 88 with connecting tubes 88, 8| which extend over the top o fthe pivot bearings 53 of the feed rocker 55 and which terminate in wiperwicks 82 and 83, see Fig. II. At the rear of the machine base I withinthe partition I2 is a. duct 94 which extends up from the distributingchannel 82 to a transverse duct 35 which carries oil to the medialbearing 38 for the shaft 38 and also to the bearing 32 for the looperrock shaft 30. Connecting laterally into the duct are wick tubes 86, 91which terminate above the rotary actuators respectively embodied in thefeeding and complemental stitch-forming mechanism I8, 20. From the frontend of the duct 85 leads a wick tube 88 which -terminates above thepivot connection between the link 48 and arm 4I of the complementalstitch-forming mechanism 20. Another duct 88 leading upward from thedistributing channel 82 within the rear side wall of the base I connectswith a transverse duct |00 in the top wall 1 of the base and carries oilto a wick-stuffed aperture |8I directly above the link 41 connecting acrank 48 on the shaft 36 with the arm 45 on the rock shaft 42. It is tobe particularly noted from Fig. I that the reservoir 18 is above thelevel of the several transverse ducts 83, and |80 so that justsufficient head pressure is maintained upon the oil in the distributingchannel 82 .to cause slow upward flow of the oil in the vertical ductsfor apportionment of the oil and effective lubrication of the parts ofthe machine mechanism. The compartment |6 containing the feeding andcomplemental stitch-forming mechanisms I9 and 20 is closed at the bottomby a horizontal diaphragm |82 which extends between the end wall 8 andthe partition I 2 as shown in Fig. I. Set upwardly into an opening |83in the diaphragm is a removable plate |04 which in turn has a centralopening with an insert screen 85. Clamped against the bottom of theplate |84 by a centrally open holder plate |86 is a web |81 of filteringmaterial held between screens |08, |09, see Figs. I and IV. The oilreleased from the parts within the chamber I6 and collected in thebottom of the latter seeps downward through the screening and lteringmaterial back into the oil supply in the bottom of the base I. Lint orother solid matter carried along with the oil in its circulation throughthe machine is thus removed, and the oil filtered before it is returnedto the main supply in the base I for re-circulation. .i

The bearing 38 is lubricated by oil fed through a duct 38a from thereservoir 19.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a simpleautomatic circulating lubricating system which, under definite control,supplies an ample amount of lubricating oil to the moving parts of themachine without unnecessary excess flow and does not require theexpenditure of power for its actuation and therefore does not impaireiclency of the sewing machine.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

'1. In a sewing machine, a base with a work supportl having anintegrally formed pendant web of uniform depth to define a continuouschamber wall, a channel in the bottom edge of said web, and a removablecover plate secured uid tight against the bottom edge of the wall forcapacity to retain a supply of lubricating oil in the chamber, saidplate also closing the channel; looper and feeding mechanisms withinIthe chamber; and means whereby oil' is conducted from the supply withinthe chamber by way of the channel aforesaid to various parts of thestitch forming and feeding mechanisms.

2. A sewing machine according to claim 1, in which there is an auxiliarygravityfeed oil reservoir at an elevation within the chamber; means forlifting oil from the supply to said reservoir; and a duct leading downfrom the reservoir to the channel.

3. A sewing machine according to claim 1, in which there is an auxiliarygravity feed oil reservoir at ah elevation within the chamber; means forlifting oil from the supply to said reservoir; a duct leading down fromthe reservoir to the channel; and means within the base for filteringthe excess oil released from the looper and feeding mechanisms before itis returned to the main supply for redistribution.

4. In a sewing machine, a base with a work support having a pair ofintegrally-formed laterally spaced interconnecting pendant longitudinaland plural spaced crosswise webs whereof the bottom edges all meet in acommon horizontal plane, an auxiliary gravity feed oil reservoir at anelevation interior-ly of the base, an oil distributing channel extendinglengthwise of the bottom of one of the longitudinal webs, an oil fiowpassage leading down lfrom the auxiliary reservoir through one of thecross webs to the channel, ducts leading upward from the channel throughothers of the cross webs, and a removable plate secured fluid-tightagainst the bottom edges of the longitudinal and endmost cross webs toform a closed housing capable of holding a supply of lubricating oil,said plate also closing the bottom of the oil distributing channel;means for lifting oil from the supply in the housing to the auxiliaryreservoir; looper and feed mechanisms within the housing; and means forconducting oil from the several ducts to the various moving parts ofsaid mechanisms.

5. A sewing machine according to claim 4, including means within thehousing for filtering the excess oil released from the looper andfeeding mechanisms before it is returned to the main supply in thebottom of the housing for redistribution.

6. A sewing machine according to claim 4, including a shaft from whichthe looper and feed mechanisms are actuated, extending lengthwisethrough the base housing and journalled in certain of the cross webs;bearings for the shaft and means whereby oil is conducted to saidbearings from certain of the vertical ducts.

7. A sewing machine according to claim 4, in which a hollowintercommunicating standard rises from the base housing at one end ofthe latter and sustains above the work support, an overhanging needlearm; wherein the auxiliary reservoir is within the hollow of thestandard;

wherein a rotary shaft, from which the looper and feed mechanisms areactuated, extends lengthwise through the base housing; wherein a needlemechanism is actuated from a main drive shaft which extends lengthwisethrough the over- CSI hanging arm and is journalled in opposite sides ofthe standard; wherein the looper and feed actuating shaft is connectedto the main shaft by gearing within the standard; and wherein the oilelevating means takes oil from the supply in the base housing anddisperses it. upwardly within the standard so that some of it reachesthe gearing and the journals for the main shaft,

and some of it is caught in the auxiliary reservoir.

8. A sewing machine according to claim 4, in which a hollowintercommunicating standard rises from the base housing at one end ofthe latter and sustains above the work support, an overhanging needlearm; wherein the auxiliary reservoir is within the hollow of thestandard; wherein a rotary shaft, from which the looper and feedmechanisms are actuated, extends lengthwise through the base housing;wherein a needle mechanism is actuated from a main drive shaft whichextends lengthwise through the arm and is journalled in opposite sidewalls of the standard: wherein the looper and feed actuating shaft isconnected to the main shaft by gearing within the standard; and whereinthe oil elevating means includes a disk on the looper and feed shaftwhich dip into the oil supply in the base housing and disperses itupwardly Within the standard so that some of it reaches the gearing andthe journals for the main shaft, and some of it is caught in theauxiliary reservoir.

9. A sewing machine according to claim 4, in which a hollowintercommunicating standard rises from the base housing at one end ofthe latter and sustains above the work support, an overhanging needlearm; wherein the auxiliary reservoir is within the hollow ofthestandard; wherein a rotary shaft, from which the looper and feedmechanisms are actuated, extends lengthwise through -the base housing;wherein a needle mechanism is actuated from a main drive shaft whichextends lengthwise through the arm and is journalled in opposite sidewalls of the standard; wherein the looper and feed actuating shaft isconnected to the main shaft by a train of spur gears within thestandard; and wherein the oil elevating means comprises a pair of diskson the looper and feed shaft respectively on opposite sides of thelowermost gear of the train, which disks dip into the oil supply in thebase housing and disperse it upwardly within the standard so that someof it reaches the upper gears and the journals for the main shaft, andsome of it is caught by the reservoir.

10. A sewing machine according to claim 4, in which an integralhorizontal partition above the bottom closure plate, forms inconjunction with the longitudinal Webs and certain of the cross Webs, alubrication chamber for the looper and feed mechanisms and a separatecompartment for the oil supply and the auxiliary reservoir; and whereina screen retractable from an opening in said partition after removal ofthe bottom plate lters the excess oil released from said mechanismsbefore it is returned to the oil supply compartment; and wherein theaforesaid chamber is provided with a removable cover recessed in thework support for convenience of access to the looper and feedmechanisms.

11. A sewing machine according to claim 4, in which an integralhorizontal partition above the bottom closure plate, forms inconjunction with the longitudinal webs and certain of lthe cross webs, alubrication chamber for the looper and feed mechanisms and a separatecompartment for the oil supply and the auxiliary reservoir; and whereina screen removable from an opening in said partition after removal ofthe bottom plate, filters the excess oil released from said mechanismsbefore it is returned to the supply in the oil compartment; wherein thesaid chamber is provided with a removable cover recessed in the worksupport for convenience of access to the looper and feed mechanisms; andwherein the said chamber has a laterally offset portion for theshielding of a looper thread tension means against contamination by oil,which offset portion extends part way over the aforesaid coinpartmentand is also accessible upon removal of the cover.

GEORGE SAUER.

